Poetry Books

As an admitted father of two toddlers, book lover, history buff and baseball fan, my review may seem like the most biased you could read. Yes, I do love this book on many levels.

But I have shared this book with children and adults of all ages -- many that care less about baseball, sports or history -- and all have been captivated by the illustrations and unbelievable level of detail Christopher Bing brought to this book.

Indeed, it is "copiously and faithfully illustrated" by the author. Every time you pick up this book you will be rewarded for your attention: it is filled with interesting little images of ads, money and baseball-related items from the period.

This book will surprise and delight you, again and again. Nice job, Mr. Bing. Very nice job.

Anyone who loves baseball, poetry, or amazingly intricate illustrations will love this book. I've used it in the classroom as part of units on poetry and baseball and it's always a hit. Great stuff!

I loved this book. I loved how they took a old poem and put it in to a book!!! So if could 1,000,000 copies of one book Cassey at the Bat would be it!!!

What a wonderful rendition of one of my favorite (and many others) poems! Not only do I like this book my self (I actually own the thing), but I have found it to be very useful in school and in teaching young grandsons. The author has taken the classic poem of Casey at the Bat and turned it into a piece of art and a history lesson all in one. He has used old newspaper clippings of the late 1800s as a back ground to his wonderful illustrations. A close look at these clippings reveal that they enhance and go along with the story quite well. Not only do the kids (I use this for 3rd graders through 6th graders) get to hear, as I read the book to them, one of our classic "fun poems" but they get a great history lesson as we discuss the context of the story with the newspaper background. It is rather amazing, upon close examination, just how much extras information the author has packed into this book. Now I realize that this is classified as a juvenal book, which I think is a real shame as it will possible divert the attention of older baseball fans and they will miss out on quite a lot. That is a pity. This book is actually quite suitable for a baseball fan of any age. I know I treasure my copy at well over sixty years old...of course I must admit to still having a lot of little boy in me, still. Highly recommend this one.

Christopher Bing's version of Ernest Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" is a must for serious baseball fans of any age. He presents the Thayer's classic ballad in a scrapbook/folio format, the poem superimposed against a "yellowed" and torn newspaper. For authenticity--and baseball fans are sticklers for details--Bing uses period font from the era, draws black and white line pictures resembling hand-engravings (it wasn't until 1890 that newspapers replaced engravings with the speedier photoengraving technique), and layers the whole effort with printed ephemera, including "caveat emptor" (let the buyer beware) medicinal ads, newspaper clippings about baseball, and memorabilia such as money, tickets, and medallions. I know about the birth of newspaper photoengraving only because Bing includes a lot of interesting history (and copious acknowledgements) in the newspaper-formatted endpapers.

The strength of the poem is unquestioned; "Casey" is so firmly engrained in the national psyche that the Library of Congress lists him as a real person, complete with birthdate. Dozens of authors mimicked or enhanced the piece, and the ballad's illustrators include Leroi Neiman, Barry Moser, and Patricia Polacco. Bing's choice of (mostly) drab colors will probably lose a younger audience; Patricia Polacco corners that demographic with her warm and wonderfully loopy style. Nor does Bing add any overt story features; Polacco changes the setting to a contemporary Little League game, and frames the story with some family dynamics between Casey, his sister, and the game's umpire-his dad!

Where Bing excels is context. Obviously, he displays the style and format of printed materials in his pseudo-engravature, and his fictionalized but historically accurate newspaper clippings. More importantly, however, he shows how the tight interweaving of baseball and society. Baseball, like the Constitution (Scalia and Thomas dissenting) and the performing arts in general, changes with the times. Back in 1888, baseball had one umpire, used one ball throughout the game, and lacked fences (one amusing clipping tells of a fan absconding with a ball so that the opposing team couldn't field it). In 1888, African-American players played alongside Whites, but the writing is on the wall, one telling clip hints at the eventual banning of all but Caucasian players.

Bing makes a few errors (one of his newspaper accounts praises Casey's hitting in another game, but the box score shows that he went 0 for 5), and he normalizes Casey--his face shows reasonable emotion, not the overwrought feelings that Thayer describes in his grand, faux-epic style.

However, the book casts an impressively broad net over an entire era, and look ahead towards the inevitable change. It's a great model for similar classroom projects, and Bing's research and color illuminate the reciprocity between society and game like no other. Still, this is not a book for young kids (except for those who are really, really into baseball, and who have the attention span to pour over the ephemera). The overall look is a grayish/yellow drab, with specks of color, and Bing packs in a lot of information. I believe Bing would agree that it's not the definitive or even the best "Casey" version for all ages-what could be?--even with its Caldecott honor and a legion of fans.

Bing's "copious and faithfully illustrated" achievement (and ultimately, much of the book's following stems from its achievement in research and illustration, as opposed to its entertainment value for kids) is impressive, educational, and maps neatly onto Thayer's poem. It's easy to imagine kids from older elementary school through middle school, as well as adult fans, pouring over every background detail as Casey's sneers one more time.

i gave this book as a gift once. to like a book enough to give it as a gift.. now that's something. if you appreciate being told the way it really is, you'll love bukowski.

The recording quality may not be absolutely perfect but the item captures Bukowski as he was, and adds significantly to the image one gets about his personality and his views from reading his, frequently repetitive books.

Some one gave this book to me to read highschool and the second I started reading it I was addicted. Now I'm in my late 20's and had to have it again.

Charles Bukowski takes you a trip that you soon won't forget. You will travel through a timeline that will have you anticipating what's next. The raw expression of life as depicted in his book made me want to become a writer.

Not only does he write a mean story he also has section filled with his poems, also amazing. You will not be dissapointed.

Bukowski is merciless. He can be quite cruel. He is a neutron bomb who destroys fantasy and make believe and leaves behind empty unadorned buildings. Like really rough scotch or bourbon, he can only be read in doses. In fact, his writing is an acquired taste. If don't want to see into the core reality of life, do not buy, let alone read his books. But if you are into honesty and courage and already know that no good deed ever goes unpunished, please enjoy. Bukowski's works are an affirmation of reality. Hobbes would love him. Ohm.

This double CD is a total joy! Quintessential Bukowski - there's nothing like hearing poems read by the author, I think, especially with him.
There's two CD's, poems interspersed with conversations with the people doing the recording. The only drawback could be that all of the recordings were done in a room with only a few people there, so there's an odd lack of feeling, the buzz you normally get in a live recording. Bukowski was also almost reluctant at times to read, but at the same time, the stillness in the background frames his voice and the work perfectly somehow. He warms up as it goes on, and as they have a few more drinks, and even reads a short story, which is brilliant.
There's some great photos of him in the booklet; no printed poems, but the sound quality is excellent, so you can hear every word.
If you're a fan, get it! If you want an introduction to Bukowski, get it!

As I sat at my computer, I glanced over at my bookcase and reached for a book. It was a Cup Of Christmas Tea. I began reading out loud and soon started crying. Several times I had to stop and wipe away tears. It takes you back to when holidays were simple and pure and about the people you love.
As I finished the book and wiped away my final tears, I decided that I will make our Chanukah celebration something special for my grandsons.

Symbolized by sharing a cup of tea with an elderly aunt and reminiscing about Christmases past - this is a heart warming poem reminding us to slow down during the holidays and enjoy our time with family and friends.

A friend recommended this book to me several years ago, and when I read it, I was moved to tears. Since that time, I have given countless copies to friends and family because I want to share the message that I received from it with everyone I know. The text is brief, but very descriptive, so I could picture in my mind the events that the authors were describing. The message that I received is that monetary gifts are not as important as the gift of time that we spend with others; so often we set out to do things for others because we feel obligated, and in the end are more blessed than the person who was the object of our attention. This is truly a wonderful Christmas story to read again and again!

I think of this book as an adult "christmas book". I have had a copy for some years and purchased this one to accompany a Spode Christmas "tea pot and cup for one" I gave to my mother. The 25th Anniversary Edition is a celebration of a book that will never go out of style and is a perennial reminder of gracious traditions and feelings that are the heart's treasures.

It's a family tradition to read this book at Christmas

Is full of love and passion and it really let's you into the sight of his words and emotions! Really Awesome!

THEOLOGICAL IMMORTAL ROMANCE is a spiritual uplift, a breathtaking world full of adventure and romance and so much more. It takes you where no book has gone before. This book brings poetry to a new level

All I Can Say Is...WOW! This superbly crafted poetic masterpiece of romance rivals anything on the book market today. It unfolds quickly and seamlessly, swiftly drawing the reader to the point of no return. It takes you into a world of the perfect romance, a journey of sensual love and undying passion shared between two lovers. The name Kevin Brian Wright will soon be as revered as Petrarch, Wordsworth and Byron and the many other classic romantic poets of our time. This amazing book of poetry is a must-read, a must buy.

Theological Immortal Romance, is a brilliant and inspiring collection of spiritual and romantic poetry that expresses a lovers passions. It is truly an incomparable album of love poems that will bring tears of joy and happiness to your eyes. It explores the deepest levels of the heart and reminds us all of the beauty, grace, and the effect that true love can have on us all.

It would't be an untruth to say that wright is a master of the mother tongue and is nearing greatness. And can equally stand tall in the circle of the classic authors of the romantic pen.

Theological Immortal Romance takes you on a magical journey of love. While reading this spiritually romantic masterpiece I couldn't help but be amazed at how deep Wright connects with such ancient concepts and dieties in his works. I admittedly am no scholar of Greek mythology, but I am fascinated enough to be caught up in his brilliant prose. Many writers draw from contemporary idealogy in order to keep themselves on the cutting edge, but there is something to be said for harnessing that classic feel of romance and unleashing it to melt hearts and move spirits alike. "She is the handy work of paradise that moves between the mastery of time and space." - Enough to melt the iciest of hearts! I truly am a fan of his work.

This Is My Beloved
This exquisite work can be humorous and elegant, although laden with syrup.
Regardless of your age, if you're "young and in love" or have an insatiable "love jones" this book is for you and your loved one.

This is My Beloved - A story of love found, love lost, and love remembered. This is the only book of love poetry (with the possible exception of Hafiz) I will need for the next 100 years. When Walter fell in love with Lillian he tapped into something amazing. I've had this book for about 10 years and it has never stopped blowing me away. With every reading I discover a new favorite passage. Gentlemen, sit down with a beautiful woman and read her this book...but only if you want to blow her mind. A passage of this book was recited in the movie "Cooley High." About 20 years after this was first published in 1968 the baritone jazz singer Arthur Prysock did an album where he recited select passages of this book. He did a great job, if you like the book check out the Prysock version.

I have just purchased my fourth copy in 30 years of this erotic collection of poems. My first book was given to me in my early twenties by a lover, wrapped in a garland of flowers, along with a book by Rod McKuen. In all these years, I have bought this book for special friends I felt would appreciate and understand the beauty and pain, the joy and dispair in the description of his journey of love and disappointment. My favored lines are those that read, "Your words are born, not spoken. Dimensional, soft-vowelled words, palpable to the eye or to the fingertip..." With imagination and honest desire, Walter Benton writes of his lover, transporting the reader to that place where all those who have loved have been. Buy this one for a lover or a friend...how fortunate you are if they are both the same soul.

I stumbled upon Walter Benton's books years ago, and have read through them many times since (this one, along with his other 'masterpiece' ~ "Never A Greater Need"). What I find so disarming about both of them is the fact that they were written in the 1940's! To think that a man could be so articulately erotic on love and sensuality from that 'era' is astounding to me!

One thing you come away knowing for sure (after reading these books) is that he truly loved his lady, and that she was probably the 'luckiest woman' around in those days! What a lover he must have been, and I feel sure that she was very 'grateful' to have known such love, and to be involved with such an aficionado on the subject! He makes the reader "feel" his deep, sensual love and need for her ~ so, if we [the readers] feel these 'feelings,' we can only imagine how she was able to receive his love and adoration for her!

What beautiful words and descriptions in these pages! So much better than anything around these days! O, that it were 1943 and if I had read these books, I would go searching the world over for Walter Benton myself! I want to 'know' a man like this! Every woman wants to! If you haven't read these aforementioned books, make sure that you include them in your library -- especially if you're a 'romanticist"! They are not to be missed, and you will never forget them!

One more romantic favor you might do for yourself, purchase Herbie Mann's CD called "The Family Of Mann: First Light" it contains the complete words from "This Is My Beloved" read by the late English actor, Laurence Harvey. He puts a beautifully poetic/erotic touch to this masterpiece, and I love reading the words along, as he speaks them!

We have nothing that even compares to these books today, and if you don't own them, you should buy them and place them on a permanent spot on your nightstand, to read and reread many many times over!

Critics were divided over whether THIS IS MY BELOVED, by Walter Benton, was [...] or literary art when it first came out. That question really should have been answered by these lines from the very first poem in the book: "Because hate is legislated...written into/ the primer and the testament,/ shot into our blood and brain like vaccine or vitamins...I need love more than ever now..."

There's no doubt that Benton, who was born in Austria and lived later in the United States, was writing as an individual. However, considering that World War II was approaching its bloodiest worse when the book was first published in 1943, it's quite likely he was also speaking metaphorically on behalf of all humanity. Has anyone yet discovered a better antidote for the disease of international war than universal love?

Similarly, the great jazz and pop singer Arthur Prysock recorded what is now a classic spoken word version of the book (please see related CD review:This Is My Beloved ) in December 1968 when the Vietnam War had the world in tears. Small wonder, then, that a new generation marked indelibly by the Iraq War in 2007 is claiming both the book and CD version of "This Is My Beloved" for its own. In times like these, everything it has to say is exactly what we need to hear.

By Author-Poet Aberjhani
Author of I Made My Boy Out of Poetry
And Founder of Creative Thinkers International

This book covers everything that you will ever need to use to journal or find a title. It is worth every penny.

Love this book. I keep it handy for all my creativity blocks. I shared it with a friend who loved it so much she's getting one too. Use it just once and it will have paid for itself. Well organized and covers all the topics.

Great resource for scrapbooking! Has great quotes and titles for use with those "hard to find the right words" scrapbooking pages....has a wide variety of subjects and topics too! Highly recommend!

I love this book! I have used it over and over for my scrapbooks, for the "blank" greeting cards I purchase, for notes to my children, and bulletin board topics for my classroom! I especially love the friendship and volunteer quotes. A wonderful, organized and varied arrangement of inspiration!

This book is a must-have for serious scrapbookers who are always on the search for page titles. I have owned this book for over a year, and I have used it for inspiration dozens of times. Even if it doesn't have the "perfect words" for my page, I can usually tweak the ideas to make them perfect. Definitely worth the buy.

This is an excellent children's book. It clearly explains "Where God Lives"
and does so in a way that children of all ages can understand. It not only
gives the "pat answer" of "God lives in heaven" ; it goes on and shows the
many places where God dwells. The book is written in rhyming style.
It has nice, colorful illustrations,too

This is Holly's best work in my opinion. Answers the question of Where is God better than any I've heard before.

This is our second book from Holly Brea. My daughter loves her books and I really appreciate how open and honest these books are. This is a wonderful story about a girl searching for God who finds out God is everywhere.

When I realized my 4 yr old twins knew all about Santa, but not about God, I knew it was time to start teaching this. I don't like the dogmatic and fundamentalist stuff that dominates children's religious books. This one is just great! It gives children a context for God, and the Grandmother tells the little girl that God doesn't just live in a far-away place called Heaven; God lives in all his creations, including you and me. A perfect book for introducing the idea of God without any denominational dogma, plus the ideas of heaven, and prayer to connect simply and purely to God. Allows you to teach your kids about God in a universal sense, without limiting God to Christian concepts.

This book is wonderful! I have read it hundreds of times to my 2 and 4 year old. It's rhyming text keeps kids interested. As the name implies, it explores the question of whether God lives in the beautiful ocean, the sky, etc. Ultimately it teaches that God is everywhere and in everyone. I would recommend this book to anyone. I have purchased it for several friends as well.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

I am very please with the service. The book came in just a few days and I will certainly use Amazon again for all my books.

I love this book!! I've bought multiple copies for all of my friends expecting their little angels!!

A beautiful book explaining God's gift of a gaurdian angel to each girl or boy born.

This book is a special reminder to any worrisome new parent, that their child will have a guardian angle to protect them whenever their parents are not there. I buy it each time a friend or family member has their first child, and it is a great gift.

Picked this book up when looking for fodder to help sort through a number of issues of mine relating to "growing up" and accepting change. This book is particularly good because it deals with the difficulty an otherwise jaded & skeptical person can experience when faced with accepting something truely positive for their life ... like a relationship that actually works!

Given the nature of the topic, it's length was about right ... but still, I was a little disappointed that I finished reading it so quickly (only ~2 hours, and I am a slow reader!).

Overall, I like Anita's perspective and I appreciate her means of expressing it ... even if I find her to be more than a tad solipsistic. Actually, the fact that she apparently revels in her egocentrism and makes no apologies for it almost makes it acceptible.

An angry poet and performer meets the perfect man, falls in love, and struggles to escape a strange state of bliss in How to Stay Bitter Through The Happiest Times of Your Life, which uses blog entries, poems, to-do lists and more to explore her changed life. While it's difficult to neatly peg this title - it's part memoir, part humor, part psychology - it's something any public library collection should put on its display shelves, and is especially recommended for New Yorkers who will readily recognize the caustic humor.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

You know how sometimes you love the first book an author wrote so much that you're afraid to read their next one for fear of being disappointed? There's nothing to fear here. Anita's follow up to her hilarious debut "How to Heal the Hurt by Hating" is just as insightful and entertaining. Do yourself a favor and add it to your cart immediately. Oh, and you might want to buy two because this is not one you're going to want to lend to your friends.

Oh my gosh - once again Anita Liberty KICKS [...]!! Her books are hysterical and so funny that you just laugh out loud (caution to those of you who read in unfunny places). If you've been through a break up, good one or bad, her books are a MUST. You'll relate to everything she says and has the nerve to do. If you haven't been through a break-up, good for you but read the book anyway. So, if you are reading this review to see if you should buy this book - DO IT NOW and get How To Heal The Hurt By Hating while you're at it - now GO!!

It's hard to stay grounded when you fall in love - and it's even harder to keep a sense of humor and reality once you become engaged and begin planning a wedding. The experience of falling in love to getting married is both amazing and overwhelming. However, somewhere in between the dress shopping, the registry, the diet, the guest lists and the family drama, a woman can forget who she is and who she was before the entire process began. This is where Anita Liberty steps in and slaps every intelligent, independent and accomplished woman who is going through (or has gone through) this process and reminds them that who they were before the engagement will inform who they'll be after the engagement and during the marriage. Anita's poetry is inspiring, funny, and real. In one poem, she admits that she doesn't want to get engaged, for fear of losing her independence, but also acknowledges that some other part of her really wants to be married and is dissappointed when an engagement doesn't come sooner. To me, this poem echoed what so many women I know go through as they fall in love - they want to be with that person entirely, but they don't want to lose who they are completely in the process. And I think that within the pages of Anita's book, any person can identify with the contradicting feelings she has, the inner struggles, and even the surrender to a Vera gown (despite a desire for simplicity). The book is about saying goodbye to ex-lovers, saying hello to one's future, and embracing who you are as an individual going forward. I laughed, I cried and I re-read it the same day I finished it. I really hope you consider buying this for yourself or for your friend/sister/cousin because it's more therapeutic than that hour massage you planned on buying her at the local spa.

This play was very thoughtful and enjoyable, especially if you are able to visualize things while you read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL describes thinker Henry David Thoreau short experience in jail after not paying his taxes. Employing flashbacks within flashbacks, playwrights Lawrence and Lee take on the task of describing Thoreau's life so far. Filled with witty remarks and humorous dialogue, this book transcends what I can say about it.

After having been assigned to read this book for my AP 11 English class, I started out first assignment: Read to page 50. To my surprise, once I got to page 50, I couldn't put it down. My teacher had warned us about this scenario. She said the book was cleverly hilarious and enjoyable. Naturally--it being an ASSIGNED book--I doubted her words.

When I got into the play, within the first few words of dialogue, I was laughing out loud. The writers, whose research was obviously accurate and concise, tickled me when Ralph Waldo Emerson asked "who" his umbrella was, making a reference to his supposed contraction of Alzheimer's disease. Thoreau's teachings of God and fields and notetaking were pleasing and enriching.

Not only was I thrilled by his paradoxical dialogue,

[In a nutshell...
Thoreau to a student: Why are you taking notes?
Student: So I can remember what you say.
Thoreau: But then it's the notebook that does the remembering, not you.
(She puts away her notebook)
Thoreau: Why have you stopped taking notes?
Student: Because you said to.
Thoreau: Why would you do what I say?]

but I also took away something from it, which is a common moral you would see in books and movies today: Do things for yourself, and pay no attention to what others say or think. Though the moral is a bit overused, Lee and Lawrence refresh it and make the lesson new placing it in the midst of witticism and transcendentalist teachings.

Now, the only thing left for me to do is write a thank you card to my teacher for treating us with this wonderful book.

This play examines Henry David Thoreau, his philosophies, and some of the events in his life. During the Mexican American War, Thoreau refused at one point to pay his taxes. He felt that the war was unjust, and he didn't want his money supporting a government that he believed was doing unjust things. (He also believed that the war was not the will of the people, as President Polk had declared war without the support of Congress.)

The play, which takes place on a simple set that emphasizes the imagination of the audience (and the performers) for props/surroundings, also delves into Thoreau's love for nature and his views on sprituality. (The fact that the set is simple reflects another way that form follows content, as Thoreau encouraged people to turn away from materialism and simplify their lives.) The chief journey in the play is Thoreau's decision to return to the world, rather than remove himself from it.

Themes include individuality, the nature of spirituality, marching to one's own drummer (regardless of consequence), the belief that one person can make a difference, the idea of standing on principle/what's right, and the manifestation of the divine in nature and humanity (Transcendentalism).

It's a somewhat academic play, about ideas more than about plot (of which there is virtually none), but it reminds us that theatre can inform and instruct us as well as entertain us. Additionally, the subject matter of the play is very topical (public funds for stem cell research? or the war in Iraq?) and is sure to stimulate thought and discussion.

The authors of this play (two college professors) demanded that it not be produced on Broadway and, to my knowledge, it never has been. This, I may assume, was their own form of "disobedience," as they maintained that a few blocks in Manhattan shouldn't dictate what real theatre is to the rest of the nation. Despite their mandate, however, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail has been one of the most produced plays in America, enjoying wide circulation in regional theatres and especially on college campuses.

While Thoreau was living at Walden, then President James K. Polk declared war on Mexico without Congressional approval. To protest this and the government, Thoreau refused to pay his taxes and was sent to jail. This play fantasizes on what might have been going through Thoreau's mind as he spent the night in jail: reflecting on his childhood, the life and death of his brother, his idol Ralph Waldo Emerson, what lead him to his solitary life at Walden and the impetus for his refusal to pay the taxes. I enjoyed reading this very much as it gave some insight into the great thinker who influenced the likes of Gandhi with his non-violent form of protesting the government.

Henry David Thoreau may be experiencing a sort of revival as of late. His treatise on civil disobidience is a hallmark of progressive action today. Upset that his government declared an unjust war, Thoreau refuses to pay taxes to show his digust, which lands him one lauded night in jail. Thus is the basis for this extremely inventive, timely play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail".

Not just a night in jail, but a brave overview Thoreau's life ensues, showing snippets of his events, meetings, and philosophies that were so critical to the development of his transcendentalism. This isn't a dry biography, however. The authors weave a Thoreau that is a rich tapestry of thought and action. He is both endearing and complex, wise and unaware.

We enter the play with Henry in his cell, and begins to relive some important moments in his life. We meet Emerson and his wife, Henry's mother, and favorite brother John, as they inact with his memories and become alive themselves. The ebullience of John is obvious, which makes his passing much more severe. This play helps to maginify the brilliance of a brilliant man, while making him more human, more real.

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is a great read, and will springboard your interests to study this amazing thinker.